Madea Possibly the Litarary Worlds First Feminist
Medea: Possibly the Literary Worlds First FeministAncient Greece was an extremely misogynistic culture, and believed that women were a lesser breed. Because of these beliefs women were portrayed as weak, irrational, and vain creatures, and men bore the responsibility of taking care of them. Euripides created Medea, a women who is betrayed by her husband, and exiled by the king. It is only after King Kreon exiles Medea, and her children that she gets angry. Medea uses these assumptions about women to manipulate these characters in order to get her revenge. Medea is a very intelligent woman, and she uses her intelligence to plan her revenge. Men considered women weak, and because of this presumption it makes it easy for Madea to influence them. After she is exiled she must seek refuge, and she finds it in Athens with King Aigeus. In exchange for a place in his kingdom she promises to use her powers as a witch to bring him and his wife children. She makes him promise before all the Gods “’That you yourself will never cast me from your land, / Nor, if any of my enemies should demand me, / Will you, in your life, willingly hand me over’” (733-735) He has no idea of her intentions, but because he swore before the gods he must now . . .
Madea knew she would be driven by her vanity and because of this she poisoned the dress, and the crown. He agrees to try, and Madea convinces him to talk to the princess, who in turn can ask the king. Even though she will have murdered her children he must protect her, and give her a haven within his kingdom. “’From the top of Her head there oozed out blood and fire mixed together. Madea is anything but frail, but she uses this to create sympathy with Jason. Vanity would be the death of her, and would be the death of her father the king. Like the drops on pine bark, so the flesh from her bones Dropped away, torn by the hidden fang of poison’” (1173-1176). He treats her as if she were just an irrational woman who finally comes to her senses. She knows that she too will feel pain, but with this pain she gains something. Medea charms the princess by appealing to her vanity. To this he replies, “’You loved them, and you killed them’” (1374). She antagonizes him further by telling him she loved them and he did not. Madea used these beliefs against these “men” and made them look like fools.
Common topics in this essay:
Worthless Nor, Ancient Greece, King Aigeus, King Kreon, feel pain, king madea, dress crown, ancient greece, shares sorrow, |
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